Metal ceiling.



PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

J. A. STEVENS.

METAL CEILING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1908.

noemtoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ALBERT STEVENS, OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS.

METAL CEILING.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that 1, JAMES ALBERT STE- VENS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newburyport, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMetal Ceilings, of which the following is a specifi.ca tion.

The present invention relates to metal ceilings, and has specially inview an improvement in the means for causing the overlapping edges ofthe ceiling plates or panels to interlock so as to insure said plates orpanels being retained in a relatively rigid position, said interlockingmeans being of an ornamental appearance and being so arranged wherebythe heads of the fasteners may be utilized to form part of theornamentation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention comprisescertain features of construction which will be described in detail inthe specification, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In said drawings, wherein like characters of reference have been used todesignate corresponding partsFigure 1 is a plan view of a portion of aceiling showing the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a planview of one of the plates or panels, the same being shown detached fromthe ceiling. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 -3 ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawings, 10 designates the plates or panels, whichare provided adjacent to each edge with a series of regularlyspaced-apart fastener holes 1 1, around which are formed a plurality ofprojecting buttons 12, and between each pair of fastener holes longlocking ribs 18 are formed. Said buttons 12 and locking ribs 13 areformed in the overlapping edges of each plate or panel by any suitablemachine which will act upon the under side of the plates or panels andforce up the material in the desired button and rib shape, and leave insaid under side of the plates or panels corresponding button shapedrecesses 14and long locking grooves 15.

' To attach the plates or panels to a ceiling a fastener 16 is used,which is preferably a screw provided with an oval shaped head 17Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1908.

Patented Aug. 1 1, 1908.

Serial No. 421,286.

In attaching the plates to the ceiling, the first plate is securelyfastened thereto by means of the fasteners. The next plate then has itsedge placed over the edge of the first plate and pressure is appliedthereto to force the buttons 12 and ribs 13 into their correspondingrecesses 14 and grooves 15. This causes the said plates to interlock,after which the fasteners 16 are passed through the registering fastenerholes 11 and into the timber of the ceiling.

By referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing it will be observed that thearrangement of the buttons 12 relatively to the fastener hole 11 is suchthat when the plates are in position on the ceiling, the buttons aroundthe said hole are so positioned that the button or buttons appearing onthe overlapped plate completes the series surrounding said hole, Whichunite in forming, when the fastener is in position, an ornamentthecenter of which is the orna mental head of the fastener, therebyimparting tothe plates the appearance of having rosettes or similarornamental and supplemental attachments, which ornamental apearance isfurther augmented by the long ocking ribs which are arranged betweeneach pair of fastener holes.

While I have shown and described the fastener as a screw provided withan oval head, it will of course be understood that the inven tion is notnecessarily limited thereto, for it will be obvious that other kinds offasteners may be used.

Claims:

In a metal ceiling, the metal ceiling plates having fastener holes, longhollow ribs, and a group of hollow buttons arranged adjacent to each endof said ribs and around said holes, said ribs and buttons being formedin each plate adjacent to the edges thereof and adapted to interlockwhen the edges of each plate are placed in an overlapping position, andoval headed fasteners passed through said fastener holes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

J. ALBERT STEVENS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES G. PRAY, FLORENCE E. WOODWELL.

